Presenting a collection of St. Louis bricks, sidewalk markers, and the Fleur-de-lis as architectural detail on and in city buildings, brick collecting, urban exploration, and my life by Christian Herman. Reporting from Tower Grove South in St. Louis, MO.

11/29/11

If you're a Preservationist, appreciate Art Deco, love architectural details, or are enamored with Vintage Style the place to be this New Years Eve is at the Speakeasy Ball. Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will be preforming along with Miss Jubilee.

The Deco Fortress is a massive building that Sarah Jane bought a couple of decades back and has been restoring by hand. Mostly her hands. I've a vague memory of black paint covering walls with mosaic tiles and Sarah Jane cautiously removing the paint. When the Sears on Grand went down Sarah J was there buying the light fixtures which are now installed on the first floor. She has salvaged Vitrolite for decades and created a Deco motif for her bathroom. When the drugstore on Grand and Hartford was 'remodeled' Sarah J bought doors and other pieces and installed them into the Deco Fortress. And then there's the infamous Hadley-Dean building score.

It's an understatement to claim she has vision because the woman - and her spouse - are a design and restoration force.Read/see more about her building by clicking on the title above.

11/21/11

Laverne Apartments:These tiles, the marble staircase, and the mail box were the highlight of this excursion. I was astonished to encounter the original brass mail box unit still in situ:Sam Meller:Sarah Jane and The Blue Notes:

11/16/11

A long lost friend moved back to St. Louis some years ago and prior to landing bought a Lustron house sight unseen.While I've photographed Lustron's from the outside, this was my first visit to an interior.

Pocket doors, enameled steel panels, and steel tiles on the roof. Most of the Lustron's consisted of 10 tons of steel and Bill (owner of this beauty) told me a truck was specifically constructed to haul the pieces to site. The interior is entirely made of steel and the panels were bolted together.

11/15/11

Sam Meller's work on 3460 Oak Hill in TGS is moving forward:Welded iron 'fence' on top of the building was recently added:Sam said this original front railing had been damaged. It had been removed and placed inside the building and recently was reinstalled.Walkway laid:The parking pads are finished:Sam Meller and his restored Mercury Cougar:

11/14/11

A few days ago I met Marilyn who told me she had recently restored a 1951 Spartan Trailer.The model is a Royal Mansion and the shell is aluminium that Marilyn had professionally polished to near mint condition.I begged for an invite. I pulled on my hair. I bribed her with vintage crochet pieces that I knew would match Bettie's interior. I considered making demands or crying on the phone when she emailed and graciously allowed me to visit Bettie today.

Bettie is road ready and leaving for a warmer climate in two weeks. The living room:It's tragic that I didn't notice the glare across Bettie Page's backside (below) and no, I didn't censor the image.I can see Marilyn's face in the reflection.Marilyn named her trailer after Bettie Page. If your the only person in the world who doesn't know who Bettie Page was click on the title. Marilyn told me she search images on Bettie Page and settles on this one because it resonates with the lamp to the left of the photo.The honey golden interior wood is Birch:Inside the front door (there's a back door also off the bedroom):The kitchen:Marilyn told me the fabric on the booths is original:Chartreuse Melmac. Yours truly has a matching set.The bedroom. Complete with vintage chenille spreads:The bathroom is also the shower with a drain in the floor and two shower heads: